A cheeky, acoustic-leaning take on barroom chaos and charm. This fireside session version rolls with warm guitar, soft fiddle, and the storytelling spirit of a late-night pint. Told through singable verses and playful wit, it’s mischief with melody — for those who prefer their pub songs with a touch of tenderness and plenty of spilled ale.

[LYRICS]

I punched the jukebox for a jig,
Spilled half me pint on Old Man Briggs.
He cursed, I laughed, then took a bow,
The crowd just roared — they liked it now.

Slipped on a boot that wasn’t mine,
Kissed the wrong lass — said, “You’ll do fine.”
Got slapped so hard I saw the stars,
The band struck up — I missed me bars!

Raise yer mugs and bang the floor!
We’ve all been thrown out once or more!
Love and bruises, rum and sin—
And I’d bloody do it all again!

AND I’D BLOODY DO IT ALL AGAIN!
HEY!

Won a card game with a stolen ace,
Till Maggie’s cousin showed his face.
He swung a stool — I ducked and tripped,
And knocked the barkeep as I slipped.

She spilled gin down me bloody shirt,
Said “Pay me back, you cheeky flirt!”

I grinned, she poured, then said “Alright
Now mop it up — or take a bite!

I said: “Who drank all the bitter, boys?”
“YOU DID, LAD — and made some noise!”
I said: “Who kissed someone’s mum last night?”
“YOU DID, LAD — AND SAID SHE’S RIGHT!”

They chased me round the busted drum,
I hid behind the barmaid’s bum.

She winked, I ducked — we kissed again,
She said, “Next round? You’re buyin’, then.”

Woke up wedged ‘tween stool and door,
Me boots were swapped, me knuckles sore.
A note was pinned to me left thigh:
“You owe three drinks and one black eye.”

The priest walked in with Maggie’s hat—
I said, “She’s not mine! …Well, not like that!”

He prayed, I cursed, then rang the bell
“Let holy water come from hell!”

Raise yer mugs and bang the floor!
We’ve all been thrown out once or more!
Love and bruises, rum and sin—
And I’d bloody do it all again!

And I’d bloody do it all again!
Aye, I’d bloody do it all again!

With me boots, me sins, me grin
I’d bloody do it ALL again!
So fill that pint and count me in!

Hell’s Bells and Empty Barrels

An orchestral re-imagination inspired by Kuwait’s Al-Nashid Al-Watani (national anthem) and the cherished communal song Watani Al-Nahar. Between the two themes lies a single heartbeat moment, a reflection on the difficult days of the past and the spirit of renewal that gave Watani Al-Nahar its voice after liberation. Strings lead the performance, supported by oud and nylon guitar filigree with subtle flamenco flair. Percussion remains soft and human, shaping the arc from reverence to communal warmth.

[HISTORICAL CONTEXT BEHIND THE PRODUCTION]

For those not familiar with the history, some ebbs and flows in the orchestral direction may feel unusual, but each has intent. From 1:10 to 1:56, a steady heartbeat-like pulse carries the melody. This symbolizes the memory of the invasion, a time of tension and endurance. As the piece unfolds, the pulse turns brighter and more open, marking the moment of liberation and renewal. The music moves from struggle to resilience, from darkness into light.

This reimagined version of Watani Al-Nahar flows through multiple melodic stages:

- Shock
- Confusion
- Realization
- Resilience
- Resistance
- Solace
- Hope
- Unification

The closing call of the tar (frame drum) serves as a familiar and welcoming motif, a sound long associated with greeting and reunion, signaling the return of those who were once displaced.

To Kuwait with Love (August 2 Heartbeat Remembered)

This track is a journey piece. A clear, memorable theme leads from the first bar, patient and sure. The strings answer like friends on a long walk, passing the tune back and forth while the rhythm keeps a calm stride. Small swells arrive like landmarks and each one says keep going. Set your bearing and move. The melody begins as a soft thought, then firms into a line you can follow. Each return feels like a step that lands right. It gathers strength by repeating what matters and trimming what does not. You hear resolve, not rush. The strings guide, the pulse steadies, and the horizon comes closer. When it settles, there is open air ahead and a quiet pride in choosing your own way.

Where I Set My North · Strings and Compass

An Andalusian walk in a calm, mid-tempo stride. The oud leads with a clear theme, circling back with quiet warmth like turning a familiar corner into light. Nylon textures and a soft pulse keep the path steady while the melody does the traveling. Think courtyards, arches, and tiles after the first breeze. It is reflective, unhurried, and made for long listening. Add it to playlists for focus, evening drives, slow mornings, and reading sessions. “Return on the Breeze · Andalusian Oud Instrumental” sits within String of a Compass as a moment of arrival, where distance closes and the heart rests.

Return on the Breeze · Andalusian Oud Instrumental

A calm shoreline walk in Andalusian colors. The oud leads a clear theme while a soft pulse keeps a steady pace. Think arches, sea light, and wet sand under hoof. Reflective, unhurried, and built for long listens, reading, evening drives, and slow mornings.

You step onto the shoreline and the day is just beginning. A single oud line draws the first path in wet sand, simple and sure, with the sea breathing close by. The rhythm settles into a steady walk and the theme returns a little warmer, like sunlight lifting off the water. You pass white walls and narrow lanes that open to blue. The melody looks farther out, widening its curve, then finds its way back to the clear refrain that started it all.

Midway the coast opens. Phrases lengthen and the oud rides higher for a short stretch, a quiet canter beside the surf, then settles again into the walking groove. Small replies answer from the edges, not to show off, but to mark the distance you have covered. The harmony shades for a moment, a nearby color that changes the light, then the air clears and the main path comes into view once more.

As the shore bends the theme returns with calm resolve. It lands more deeply in the pocket, footprints beside your earlier footprints, straighter and more certain. The final bars ease the pace, the surf draws close, and the last tone stands in open air. This is an Andalusian coastline in sound. Freedom with direction. Motion without rush. Music to walk by, to read by, to find your horizon and keep moving toward it.

Andalusian Coastline · Oud Lead Instrumental

A quiet voyage in sound. The oud carries a gentle theme that returns a little warmer each time. The pace is unhurried and calm. It feels like a shoreline walk at first light. Space to breathe. Time to think. Built for slow mornings, reading, evening drives, and moments when you want the world to soften around you.

The Long Turn · A Quiet Voyage Instrumental

Gallop to the Unseen unfolds like a journey across open ground, measured at first, then growing with momentum until every note feels alive with motion. The piece begins in quiet focus, the oud tracing a solitary line that feels like the first step onto an unknown path. Its phrasing is deliberate, searching, touched with the light of anticipation.

Gradually, a rhythm stirs beneath, not forceful, but insistent, as if distant hoofbeats are forming somewhere beyond sight. The violin enters beside the oud, not as an echo, but as a companion, their melodies moving in step, sometimes merging, sometimes pulling apart like riders keeping parallel pace. Together they create a sound that breathes and moves like a living landscape.

As the music grows, energy replaces hesitation. The rhythm steadies, the melody begins to lean forward, and the interplay between oud and violin turns spirited, a conversation between trust and tension, instinct and direction. Each return to the main theme feels like a push toward something just out of reach, a horizon the listener can feel but never quite see.

Near the end, the ensemble holds its breath, a pause before the final stride, and then releases into a swift, radiant close. The cadence lands with quiet certainty, like a rider who has seen enough of the path to know where it leads.

This is music for those drawn to movement, for listeners who understand that the unseen isn’t to be feared, but pursued.

Gallop to the Unseen · Oud and Violin Ride Along

Reins and Saddle sets off with a bright sway. The oud sketches a teasing line, and the violin slips in beside it, moving in step, sharing the smile. The groove is light and quick, a smooth, bouncing motion that turns the path into a playful chase. Nothing feels heavy. Everything flows with lift and shine.

The melody circles back in little bursts, like riders drawing close, pulling away, and rejoining with a wink. Short pauses sharpen the grin, then the music glides forward again. Often the oud and violin meet on the same line, then part into lively replies that keep the spark alive.

As it builds, the rhythm stays easy and the phrases lean into a clean finish. The close is clear and cheerful, a tidy arrival that leaves the ear buzzing. It is a duet about speed, charm, and control. It is a ride made for open air and quick hearts.

Reins and Saddle · Oud and Violin Rumba Mischief

This track is made for slow, attentive miles. The kind of walk where you notice light on walls, wind on your face, and the sound of your own breath. It does not hurry you. It gives you space. The pulse is gentle, the edges are soft, and the music invites your thoughts to line up and settle. On a mindful-walk playlist, it works as a centering piece. Steady enough to keep you moving. Calm enough to keep your mind clear.

“Where the Sand Remembers” opens in stillness. Oud alone, close and unhurried, shaping a line that draws the ear inward. The violin joins as a quiet companion. At times it shadows the oud in near unison. At times it answers from a step away. The dialogue reads like thought and counter-thought rather than call and command.

The middle section widens in small circles. Nylon guitar stays in the background with soft arpeggios that color the air without pulling focus. Short pauses let the melody settle. When it returns, it carries a touch more light, as if the horizon has moved closer.

Near the close, a subtle percussive layer arrives, felt more than heard. It does not shift the character or the pace. It simply lifts the final phrases so the last cadence lands with quiet certainty. The oud states the closing idea plainly. The violin holds a warm line above it. The piece exhales rather than stops.

EMOTIONAL DELIVERY

Reflective rather than sad. Movement without urgency. Clarity without push. It is the sound of walking with your thoughts and finding they have started to walk with you.

Where the Sand Remembers · Quiet Oud and Violin Reins

This piece moves at a walking pace. The oud speaks plainly, close to the ear, while guitar and cajón keep a soft circle of time. Each accent lands like a quiet hoofbeat, calm and sure. The melody carries Nahawand warmth with a hint of Hijaz at the turns. It does not hurry. It holds its line. By the final cadence the path feels familiar and open, as if the ground itself has settled underfoot.

The Known Path · Over Soft Hooves

This track is inspired by the timeless song Zourouni Koulla Sana Marra (“Visit me once every year”) by the revolutionary Egyptian composer Sayed Darwish. The original is known for its timeless melody and poignant lyrics; It's a quiet dialogue between longing and grace that still resonates across cultures.

In this reimagined instrumental interpretation, the oud speaks first, close and warm, setting the tone like a doorstep conversation at dusk. The violin joins as a second voice, curious and emotional, weaving in and out of the oud’s phrases as though remembering a familiar story. The guitar keeps a soft, steady pulse through understated arpeggios, while brushed percussion outlines the heartbeat of a gentle four-beat walk.

Throughout, flamenco influences tease the melody’s journey- a hint of zambra glow, the soft pulse of tangos, and the poised sway of soleá por bulerías near the close. These flavors drift through the piece like passing moods, guiding the listener without ever overtaking the stillness at its heart.

This is not a performance meant to dazzle, but a meeting between two musical worlds. The melody speaks as if at a doorway- graceful, nostalgic, and assured. By the closing cadence, the air feels calm and near; the visit complete.

Perfect for reflective playlists, quiet evenings, or moments when memory needs space to breathe.

Zourouni Koulla Sana Marra · A Flamenco-Threaded Reimagining for Oud and Violin

I’ve always lived at the crossroads of music and poetry — where feeling becomes form, and melody turns memory into meaning. Whether it’s a lingering jazz note, a well-placed rhyme, or a shift in tempo that tells a deeper story, I’m drawn to that quiet magic where art reflects life with a little more style.

My roots are in classic music — the kind that doesn’t chase the moment but lingers with you long after the last note. Over time, that love expanded into poetry writing and jazz — especially the kind that swings, speaks, and smirks all at once. Jazz, to me, isn’t just a genre; it’s a personality. A conversation. A little tilt of the head and a grin that knows more than it says.

When I set out to create an album, it’s rarely just a collection of songs. I approach it like a personal playlist — one that drifts and flows as if the entire tracklist were one long, uninterrupted piece. Each track leans into the next, shifting mood, pace, or voice, but always carrying the same thread of feeling. I want you to listen the way I do — not as a shuffle of moments, but as a cinematic arc. One breath that lasts an hour.

Lyrically, my work is rooted in lived experience. Sometimes it’s obvious. Other times it’s just the skeleton of a memory, dressed up in wit, irony, or longing. I draw from real-life events, then let the poet in me twist, stretch, or sweeten them to taste. Depending on the tone of the album — playful, romantic, nostalgic, or something in between — I try to keep the emotional truth intact while giving it a fresh coat of creativity. A little humor where it fits. A deeper dive where it hurts.

My newest jazz album continues this tradition — short-lined swing tracks, conversational duets, and tongue-in-cheek storytelling. It’s an homage to late-night alleyway ballads, rooftop serenades, and train station goodbyes — all bound together with a sense of charm and cohesion. Each song is its own little scene, but together they tell a story — one you can revisit with each replay.

Thanks for stopping by my profile. I hope you find something that earns a spot on your repeat-play list — a melody, a lyric, or a moment that feels like it was written just for you.

Hell’s Bells and Empty Barrels

Dikheel Aldikheel

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